


Learn To Fly

by swampy (HeadedMints)



Category: No Straight Roads (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Other Characters Are Mentioned, Post Game, Spoilers, i've had this idea in my head for a while, needed to put it down somewhere, vague zuke/may but it can be taken as platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26764024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeadedMints/pseuds/swampy
Summary: Kul Fyra's guitar is a peculiar burden that Mayday happily carries - it's weighed down by Kul Fyra's legacy and Tatiana's watching eyes, as well as the eyes of the world. Nonetheless, it means so much to her to have the opportunity to play it, and to still be able to play anything at all.Tatiana is more aware of the instrument's importance to her than she thinks.
Relationships: Mayday & Zuke (No Straight Roads), Mayday/Zuke (No Straight Roads), Tatiana & Mayday
Comments: 10
Kudos: 92





	1. Hearts Burst Into Fire

**Author's Note:**

> my first nsr fic! i've been in a slump lately, but this helped get my writing muscles moving. i'll try to finish days count's next chapter soon... it's in the works, trust me! i know what i want to do with the rest of the fic, it's just taking me a while to put down.  
> thanks for reading, i hope you enjoy :]

"Nice work out there, Zuke!" Mayday says, loosely slinging her guitar into her other hand as they walk off stage. Beside her Zuke is wiping the sweat off his face with his shirt and wearing a soft smile, drumsticks clattering in his opposite fist. She pats him on the back, "Crowd was pretty alive tonight, huh?"

"Seems like there's more people every day." He replies, still occupied with drying his face and wetting his shirt. Zuke lets go of his collar and looks over to her, snapping his drumsticks together into his cane. "Guess we can thank Tatiana for that."

Suddenly, the weight of Kul Fyra's guitar becomes very, very present. Mayday lifts it up in front of her and murmurs, "Yeah."

"Any different than your old one?" He asks, even though he should know better than anyone the difference an instrument makes. It's still a valid question, though - Mayday weighs the guitar in her hand, feeling the heat resonating off of it.

"It's a whole lot heavier," She says as she sets it across her back, idly swinging her arms as she walks. She can simplify the burden she's carrying down to it's physical weight; Zuke knows how important it is to her, and knows it intimately. "Though Tatiana is waayyy taller, so I guess it makes sense."

"Right." Zuke's cane clicks on the concrete. He runs a hand through his hair and smiles a little wider, looking over to her again. "Gotta say, you look just like that poster of her when you're up on stage. Y'know, Kul Fyra."

"C'mon, you're kidding." She elbows him in the side. He laughs, waving his hand in his defense of both himself and his statement, and Mayday stoops down to lift up the hatch to their main room. "Stop messing with me, you're joking!"

"Hey, no - I'm being serious, honest!" He calls after her as she heads down the ladder, handing his cane down to her and following not far behind. Mayday lands on the couch when she drops from the pipe, putting her hands on her hips. Zuke shouts from the ladder, "You've got the pose down and everything!"

"Yeah, yeah," She huffs and tucks his cane under her arm. She reaches out to catch Zuke as he jumps off the ladder, gently letting him to his feet and handing it back to him. "You probably just had sweat in your eyes."

"Whatever you say." He chuckles, still smiling. Mayday's phone pings - which somehow startles both of them - and she opens in to find a text from Tatiana, of all people. Zuke casually leans over her shoulder. "What's up?"

"It's Tatiana." Mayday reads the text once, twice, three times; it's as if she can't read at all. It takes her a fourth time to realize that Tatiana's perfect grammar and punctuation really suit her, and a fifth to fully understand what she's sent. "She says she wants to talk about something, at the tower."

"An audience with the big lady herself, huh?" He quickly scans her phone from beside her, resting his chin against his wrist on her shoulder. His arm moves and wraps around her back, pulling her against the crook of his armpit and chest. He asks, softly, "Promise you'll text me if shit hits the fan?"

"Of course." She says, tucking her phone away. Adjusting her guitar and fixing her bangs, Mayday smiles up at him, clearly showing two rows of white teeth, "It'll be fine, anyways. You know we smoothed everything over."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Zuke sighs. He gives her shoulder a comforting squeeze and a little shake, obviously trying to play off his worries. The hand slowly drifts down to his side, reluctant to let go. "Just... stay safe, 'kay?"

"Yessir!" She goes to leave but quickly turns around. Spinning on her heel, Mayday rushes back over and wraps her arms around Zuke's torso, and he hugs her back twice as tight. They peel apart, her hands still lingering on his waist. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Right." The tension fades a little from his face and his shoulders. He pats her on the arm once, twice, then finally smiles and says, "See you then."

Mayday nods. In the next instant she's clambering up the ladder out and pushing the manhole cover off, easing her guitar through the small opening and crawling up onto the pavement. She takes off down the street, waving to everyone she knows and everyone she doesn't, only stopping once she reaches the plaza.

The Grand Qwasa shines bright as ever, the fountains around it spraying plumes of clear water on an interval. Mayday takes the long way around, observing the state of the Qwasa as she goes. It hasn't been even a year and things are already starting to look up.

"Hello, uh - Mayday. Hi." Mia waves from the information booth, which has only been giving out city maps and tour guides as of late. She still winces a little as Mayday gets closer, but begins to loosen up almost immediately. "You look well."

"Aw, thanks!" Mayday leans against the counter, resting her weight on her hands. She idly taps her foot against the base of the booth. "How's work been treating you?"

"Good, good. It's been pretty busy lately, but it's nice." Mia seems less tired these days. She fixes one of her gloves and folds her hands in front of her, nervous energy needing an outlet. A gloved finger taps against the opposite hand's knuckle. "You're probably busy too, huh?"

"You know it. I'm actually headed to see Tatiana right now," She says, thumbing down the street towards the Cast Tech District. "Then it's back to business as usual."

"Oh -" Mia straightens at the mention of Tatiana and their meeting. She nods, hands still clasped tightly in a ball and resting against her stomach. "Don't let me keep you, then!"

"Alright." Mayday checks her phone to see if Tatiana's actually sent a deadline for this engagement and finds none. She waves as she walks away, smiling, "See you later, Mia!"

"Right, um. See you soon!" Mia says, and it does Mayday's heart good to hear that from her for the first time in forever.

DJ Subatomic Supernova's calm lecture sounding over a loudspeaker greets her as she passes the threshold between districts, practically sprinting towards the furthest corner of the city. The planetarium is open every day now, free to the public but welcoming donations. Zuke tends to want to linger here whenever they take trips around town, and Mayday makes a mental note of a sign for a new exhibit so that she can tell him about it once she gets home.

Sayu's bubbly voice invites people to pursue their musical passions, and for young musicians to apply for scholarships and grants to perform on stage. Mayday stops for a second to watch a sample from her new video, keeping the four kids behind her in mind. She should check in on them again soon, see how they're doing in school. Tila probably nailed that test she was worried about last week, and Remi seemed so excited to show her Sayu's new design once he was done.

Natura is quiet, birds chirping from the trees, the conversation of scattered passerby a low rumble throughout the district. One of Yinu's recitals from a few years ago is playing, soft, elegant piano drifting through the district. She's been on hiatus ever since they restored her district, but Mayday's seen her and her mother around once or twice. Everyone is kind enough not to bother them, and it warms her heart to see them happy together so often.

Ten Ten's district is more or less the same, though they're promoting each member more individually nowadays. There's supposed to be a meet and greet with Blue and Green in a few days, and Mayday's busy lamenting the fact that they have a gig scheduled as she passes through. Kayane's gotten over her initial distaste of them, thankfully, and waves as she walks past.

Eve's gallery is having an anniversary exhibition this week. Zuke politely declined an offer to be involved, and she seemed to take it surprisingly well. Mayday's not sure when they'll try to hash out their current awkward relationship and touchy boundaries, if they ever do. She wouldn't really hold it against Zuke if he just burns that bridge and leaves it be; honestly, she's not sure how she'd approach the situation if it were her.

NSR Tower still manages to cut an imposing silhouette in the evening sky. Mayday slows as she walks down the long bridge towards the coast, watching the waves split and crest the rest of the sea on their journey to the rocky crag below. Joey sneers at her with a little less hostility as she pushes open the big doors, heading past reception and to the elevator.

Just being here still makes her kind of nervous. The city sprawls out far below as the elevator climbs higher and higher, and she watches the pinprick lights glitter from far away. Vinyl City settles into every corner of her heart, making her feel light and fuzzy, filling up the space it's hollowed out. It's a place she can truly love, now, without any hang ups - and it's a place that must hold a special feeling for everyone else here, too.

The elevator announces its arrival on the top floor with a cheerful ping, shaking her out of her musing. Mayday looks herself over one last time and, with a deep breath, heads down the long hallway to Tatiana's office.

Tatiana is sitting at her desk scribbling away on some papers with a pen, which is an oddly mundane task to see her doing. Mayday waits a moment and, when she doesn't notice her, clears her throat.

"Ah, Mayday. Hello." Tatiana lifts her head, shuffling the papers into one neat stack and clicking her pen closed before setting it aside. She folds two massive hands together on the the tabletop in front of her, gesturing towards a chair. "Please, take a seat."

"Am I in trouble..?" Mayday asks, slowly lowering herself into the chair's plush, velvet cushion, swinging her guitar onto her lap. It's comfortably warm against her bare knees as she supports it with one hand, motioning with the other, "If this is about the damages, we can -"

"No, it's nothing of the sort. You've already made your amends, don't worry." She says gently, calmly raising a hand to stop her. Magma glows through the cracks in her face, flowing freely beneath her skin and through the crystals that form her hair. She pushes her glasses up, softly smiling, "How's the old girl treating you? Well, I hope?"

"Oh, absolutely!" She holds it up as if to make her point clear, as if Tatiana wouldn't know her own guitar. She rests it on her lap, holding it as if to play it, still showing it off as she says, "It's even better than my old one!"

"Mhm. May I see it for a moment?" She stands and puts out her hands, and Mayday hesitates. But the guitar leaves her lap and leaves her hands nonetheless, and Tatiana assumes a playing position and runs her fingers along the strings, silently playing the chords to a familar song. Tatiana chuckles, "Seems she's in good hands. I really do love everything you've put out since I've given her to you, too. Reminds me of the old days."

Mayday nearly short circuits. _The_ Kul Fyra, the woman she's looked up to all her life, likes _their_ music? She must be dreaming. She focuses on one of the floor tiles behind her desk, hands curled half into fists on her legs.

"Of course," Tatiana says, and Mayday's brain scrambles to recover and keep up. "I didn't call you here just to see how you were handling your instrument."

"Then..." She manages, slowly starting to think again. Her mouth takes a while longer to get the message, the silence dragging on a little too long until she blurts out, "What did you wanna talk about?"

Tatiana sighs, her smile turning wistful. She eases the guitar up further into her hands, fingers resting on the strings in a chord she doesn't play, can't play anymore. It's a long moment before she looks back to Mayday, that nostalgic look still carved into her face.

"This guitar..." She says, slowly. Her fingers move from chord to chord, silently playing one of the Goolings' first songs, one that got requested at every concert, one that was in practically every set. "When I was young, and I played my first note on this guitar, it ignited a spark in me. From that moment, I was destined to become Kul Fyra - I couldn't dream of being anything else."

Mayday hangs onto her every word, eyes wide. Tatiana smiles again as she finishes the song that never began, letting the guitar's weight rest in her hands.

"This guitar set me on my path. And now," She says, holding it out in both hands. Mayday hovers over it, taking it slowly, carefully, as if it'll shatter like glass if she touches it the wrong way. "Now it's time it set you on yours. Kul Fyra was enough of a spark to take you this far; why not let her guitar be the match to light your fire for the future?"

"I -" She sniffles, barely holding back tears. If the guitar didn't hold an emotional weight before, it definitely does now. "I don't know what to say - "

"A speech isn't the only thing I'll leave you with today." Tatiana moves beside her and claps a hand on her shoulder. Mayday feels like she's five years old again, learning how to play from her father, sitting in his lap with his hands over hers and guiding her fingers. "Feel the heat resting within it, the strings in your fingers, the tab against your hand. Feel that same heat within you, dig deep and reach for it - and play."

Mayday takes a long, deep breath through her nose, shoulders hitching up, and after what feels like forever she plays a single loud, low note. Her hands feel like they're burning, flames curling around her feet, and when she opens her eyes her very skin is made of fire.

Mayday nearly drops the guitar as she turns her hand over in front of her, in disbelief. Tatiana laughs proudly beside her, her hand resting on her the only thing keeping her grounded and making this feel real.

"While Kul Fyra came from my own power, part of it also clings to the guitar itself." She says, patting Mayday on the shoulder. Her voice is gentle as she continues, "I'm sure it's a lot to take in."

"Um - yeah. Yeah," She laughs, breathless. The fire consumes the entirety of her, making up her whole body. Her clothes survive, somehow, and her hair idly flickers and splits, letting off stray flames. It feels like a dream. "I can do this?"

"It's your legacy to carry now," Tatiana says, gently taking Mayday's hand and bringing it back to the neck of the guitar. The strings are still warm, even despite her current. "If you'll have it."

"Of course. This is..." Her tears turn to steam as they free themselves from her eyes and try to roll down her cheeks. Her grip on the guitar loosens, her shoulders shaking, the heat fading from her as she starts to sob, unable to hold it back any longer, "Thank you. I, I - can't - thank you so much..."

"No. Thank you for choosing to carry it this far," Tatiana catches the guitar before she can drop it, holding it in one hand and wrapping her other arm tightly around Mayday, hugging her close to her chest. The fire fades. Her skin is skin once more. "And for everything you've done."

And again she feels like she's five years old again, clutching to her father's leg and waiting for him to lean down and pick her up, crying from some scrape on her leg or waking up from a nightmare. Tatiana holds Mayday against her; Mayday turns around and scrambles for a hold against her back.

"It's been a long road, for you and Zuke both. I had no part in making it easier for you," She says, rubbing small circles into her back, her hand pleasantly warm. Some part of Mayday's mind distantly wonders how hard stone can seem so soft. "And I am sorry. Yet I could not be happier that you've succeeded, and I could not be standing here with you had you not taken that first step."

It's so much. It's so much to have a part of her idol be a part of her, it's so much to be forgiven and to be given things. There's an overwhelming amount of everything inside her, and she feels like she's going to burst like an overcooked bag of popcorn and it'll all come spilling out.

"Thank you again, Mayday." Tatiana says, tender, gentle, and it isn't helping that bursting - at - the - seams feeling. Her knees are about to buckle, legs wobbling. "Thank you for being you."


	2. New Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was struck with inspiration and knew i had to write just a little more of this. hope you guys enjoy!

Kul Fyra yells, throwing her head back as her hands work magic on the strings, the crowd in a frenzy. She leans forward over her guitar, flaming hair falling in her face, deep voice carrying out from the stage and over the noise, still unintelligible above the rumble of thousands of people in one small, packed place. The sound is tinny through the speakers.

"Mayday, honey?" Her father calls from the kitchen. Mayday ignores him, pressing her face up against the tiny screen of their old TV, nose flattened against the glass. She can see every spark flying off of Kul Fyra, even with the thin layer of static crawling along the picture. The roar of the concert is near deafening. "Hey, you alive in there?"

"I'm fine, papa!" She yells back, only turning away from the TV for a second. Kul Fyra keeps playing, keeps singing, and the crowd keeps cheering. Mayday keeps watching, hanging on to her every move. "I'm okay!"

"Aww, don't sit so close to the TV, sweetpea," Her father sighs, but when she turns to look at him there's a small smile on his face. He leans down to scoop her up in his arms, pausing the concert at the same time. She laughs as he gives her a wet kiss on the cheek, tiny hands resting against his shoulders. "You're gonna hurt your eyes."

"Dad, dad, did you see?" Mayday pats a hand against his chest once, twice, turning over her shoulder to point back at the TV. "Kul Fyra, up on the stage! She was sooo cool!"

"I saw _and_ heard her, kiddo. Just," He laughs, shifting her into the crook of his arm as he heads back into the kitchen. He squeezes through the small space between the table and the wall and leans over the stove to take a kettle off the burner. "Maybe don't sing that one around your grandmother, huh? You'll give her a heart attack."

"Okay, okay," Mayday giggles. Her father takes the tea bag from the pot and pours himself a cup, taking it back with him into the living room. Kul Fyra is frozen in time on the screen, her hand up in the air, mouth open in a wide smile. Two stately rows of teeth show from between flaming lips. May sighs, "But she's sooooo cool, dad. I wish I coulda seen her."

"I know, honey. You just missed her." He sits down with a huff, the couch creaking beneath him. He sets her on his lap, teacup held in one hand and her back against the other. "I bet you two would've been friends. You're a lot like how I remember her."

"Really?!" Mayday looks from him to the TV, hands still against his chest, bouncing up and down where she's sitting. She balls up her hands and opens them again, trying to let the excitement escape. "I wish we coulda played together! I'd wanna be in the Goolings!"

"Speaking of playing," Her father says, easing her out of his lap before standing. He sets his cup down on the table with the TV before turning back to her, still smiling wide. "Close your eyes and stay right there, I've got something for you."

"Ooh!" Mayday happily complies, quickly putting her hands over her face. She knows not to peek - that's cheating! It'll ruin the surprise, too. She hears her father's footsteps, soft on carpet, and he scoops her into his lap again, sitting behind her on the couch. Something gently whumps against his knees in front of her, sound muffled by the fabric of his pants.

"Okay," He says, gentle voice sounding above her. "You can look now."

Her father's guitar is sitting in front of her, looking as if it's brand new. She reaches forward and he gently sets moves it from his lap to hers. There's still sticker residue on the top half of it, but the strings have all been replaced and tuned, and the pink's been touched up in spots where the paint was fading or peeling.

"I learned from my mama when I was around your age," He smiles. Mayday is still in awe, staring wide eyed at the instrument sitting across her legs. He sets a hand on her shoulder, "It's about time I taught you, huh? Here."

Her father eases her hands onto the guitar, small fingers dwarfed beneath his own. She shifts the guitar's weight in her hands and in her lap, arms almost too short to reach around it. He waits a moment for her to get settled, then puts his callused red hands over hers, guiding them.

"This's an easy chord." He says, but Mayday's not paying attention to him anymore.

She stares at Kul Fyra frozen on the screen, studying her hand on her own guitar. Massive fingers play the strings so precisely, somehow, one hand big enough to wrap around Mayday's torso. She seems to hold it so delicately, so expertly, and at that moment Mayday feels - in her chest, down to her very bones - that she wants to be just like her.

She plays just one note, and the sound comes out crisp and clear. Kul Fyra stares on blankly in approval.

"Nice, nice!" Her father laughs, cheeks pushing up on his big pink eyes, and an arm wraps around her to hold her against his stomach. "Looks like she's in good hands."

"I can really keep her?" Mayday asks, looking up at him. The feeling in her chest is heavy in the best way, refusing to leave. She feels warm. "Really?"

He nods. "She's all yours."

Mayday stares down at the guitar in awe, unable to look away. It feels like the strings are forever imprinted in her fingertips, meant for her hands. It feels like with her father's guitar, now hers, she can do anything. It feels so, so good.

"Dad," She says, hugging his arm. The guitar tips forward without anyone to hold it, resting against his legs. "What if I wanna be a rockstar?"

"Then you just gotta go be a rockstar, sweetpea." Her father says, pride in his voice. He ruffles her short blonde hair, brushing back her bangs and leaning down to give her a kiss on the forehead. "And don't you let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Oh." She waits for a second before looking up at him again, "Can you... can you teach me more?"

His face softens, and his gently hands go back over hers, moving to another position. "Of course, honey. Anything you wanna learn, I'll teach you."

In an apartment building tucked far away from the shore, on the third floor and just down the hall on the left, disjointed, loud notes play muffled from behind the thin walls; and far from the same shore, miles across the sea, a woman sits thinking about the past, massive stone fingers callused from a guitar's strings.

**Author's Note:**

> mayday calling zuke after she's had a good hug and a cup of cocoa: "hey i have a suprise for you, you're gonna lose your damn mind"
> 
> (also mayday being able to carry zuke with relative ease is... the best thing)  
> thanks all for reading! i hope you enjoyed :]


End file.
